1 John 2: Keep His Commands
We know we truly know Christ when we keep his commandments and love our brother, refusing the world's pull and the antichrists' lies.
1 John 2 (WEB)
1 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.
2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.
4 One who says, “I know him,” and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him.
5 But whoever keeps his word, God’s love has most certainly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him:
6 he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.
7 Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
8 Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines.
9 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now.
10 He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.
11 But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you know the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
15 Don’t love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.
17 The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.
18 Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour.
19 They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.
20 You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
23 Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn’t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.
24 Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father.
25 This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life.
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray.
27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.
28 Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1 John 2 (KJV)
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1 John 2 (ASV)
1 My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
3 And hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
5 but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him:
6 he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked.
7 Beloved, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye heard.
8 Again, a new commandment write I unto you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shineth.
9 He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.
12 I write unto you, my little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil one. I have written unto you, little children, because ye know the Father.
14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the evil one.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us.
20 And ye have an anointing from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, even he that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
24 As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise which he promised us, even the life eternal.
26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that would lead you astray.
27 And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him.
28 And now, my little children, abide in him; that, if he shall be manifested, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.
Summary
John writes so that his little children may not sin, yet he immediately offers comfort: if anyone does sin, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins and for the whole world. He then lays out the test of true knowledge of God—not feelings but obedience: the one who says he knows God yet does not keep his commandments is a liar. Love for one another is both an old commandment and a new one, for the true light is already shining; to hate a brother is to remain in darkness. John addresses his readers as children, fathers, and young men, assuring them their sins are forgiven and the evil one is overcome. He warns sharply against loving the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—because the world and its desires are passing away, but the one who does God's will remains forever. Finally he names the danger of the hour: many antichrists have arisen who deny that Jesus is the Christ, and they went out from the church because they never truly belonged. But his readers have an anointing from the Holy One; let them remain in what they heard from the beginning, and so remain in the Son and in the Father, holding the promise of eternal life.
Key Figures
- John — The pastor-apostle writing to his little children to guard them from sin and deception while assuring them of forgiveness and life.
- Jesus Christ, the righteous — Our Counselor with the Father and the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, whose word we are to keep.
- The believers (little children, fathers, young men) — The varied members of the church whom John assures of forgiveness, knowledge of God, and victory over the evil one.
- The antichrists — Those who deny that Jesus is the Christ and who went out from the church, revealing that they never truly belonged to it.
Key Verse
1 John 2:3 (WEB)
This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.
Lessons Learned
- When believers sin, they have an Advocate and an atoning sacrifice in Jesus Christ the righteous.
- Genuine knowledge of God proves itself in obedience to his commands.
- Loving our brother keeps us in the light; hating him keeps us in the dark.
- Loving the world and loving the Father cannot coexist, for the world is passing away.
- The anointing we have received guards us so that we remain in the Son and in the Father.
- Christ is our Advocate when we fail. “If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous” (1 John 2:1, WEB). Assurance does not excuse sin, but it does provide for it.
- Obedience is the proof of knowing God. “This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3, WEB). Claimed knowledge that ignores his word is a lie (2:4).
- Love and hatred reveal where we walk. “He who loves his brother remains in the light” (1 John 2:10, WEB), while the one who hates his brother walks in darkness and blindness (2:11).
- The world's offerings are passing away. “The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever” (1 John 2:17, WEB). Love for the world crowds out the Father's love.
- How does John balance his desire that we not sin with his assurance for those who do (2:1-2)?
- What is the test John gives for knowing that we truly know God (2:3-6)?
- Why does John call love for one another both an “old” and a “new” commandment (2:7-8)?
- What does John mean by “the world,” and why can't love for it and love for the Father coexist (2:15-17)?
- Where do you sense the world's pull—through desire, possessions, or pride—and how might remaining in God's word reorder your loves?
- John's aim is that we not sin, but he knows we will, so he points to Jesus our Counselor and atoning sacrifice (2:1-2). Grace and the call to holiness are held together: forgiveness is not a license to sin but provision for the times we do. Stress both, so neither despair nor presumption wins.
- The test is obedience: we know that we know him if we keep his commandments (2:3-5). This is not earning salvation but evidence of it; a transformed life flows from real relationship with Christ. Help the group see obedience as fruit, not root.
- It is old because it goes back to the beginning of their faith and to Christ's own command; it is new because the true light is now shining and Christ has given love fresh meaning by his own example. Love for one another is the timeless mark of walking in the light.
- “The world” here is the whole system of life organized apart from God—the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life (2:16). It is passing away, so to set our hearts on it is to love what cannot last. Invite gentle reflection on competing loves.
- This is a personal-application question. As leader, help members name specific pulls—craving, envy, status—without shame, and point to remaining in God's word and will (2:17) as the way our affections are slowly retrained toward what endures.